The Battle Subway is the fifth generation installment of the Battle Tower from prior generations. The player travels on a subway, moving from car to car as they defeat CPU opponents. The normal lines of the Battle Subway are available once the player has reached Nimbasa City, but the super lines, where the real challenge lies, are unreachable until after the National Pokédex is obtained. This article is designed to help new Battle Subway players learn about the underlying mechanics and basic strategies of the facility, while also providing returning players with the subtle details of the subway and links to useful subway data. Playing in the Battle Subway can be an immensely fun and rewarding experience, so pick a line and test your skills!

Battle Subway Mechanics

The Basics

Housed in Nimbasa City's Gear Station, the Battle Subway allows players to select a team of 2, 3, or 4 Pokemon (depending upon the subway line challenged, outlined later) to participate in sets of 7 battles against NPC trainers. The objective of the Battle Subway is to obtain the highest winning streak without losing, which resets the streak back to zero. Furthermore, at the end of each set of 7 opponents, the player is awarded Battle Points (BP). The amount of BP awarded depends upon the subway line and the current win streak of the player. BP is used to purchase powerful items, listed later.

After each battle of every set, the player's party is fully healed and they are given the option to continue, record, rest, or retire. Continue triggers the next battle in the series. Record saves a video of the last battle fought. Saved battle videos can be watched using the Vs. Recorder; this key item also shows the player's current and best winning streaks in the subway. Rest saves and exits the game while preserving the player's current winning streak&mdash;they must, however, resume their Battle Subway challenge the next time they turn on the game. Retire exits the challenge, causing the player to lose their winning streak. If the player wins all 7 battles in the set, they arrive at a platform and are awarded BP. The player can chat with NPCs on the platform, some of which hand out items (detailed later). Talking to the subway conductor on either end of the platform allows the player to either continue their challenge or return to Nimbasa City. Note that returning to Nimbasa City at the end of a set does not reset the player's winning streak&mdash;the player can return later to continue their challenge.

Turning off the power or encountering a communication error (Multi and Wi-Fi lines) anytime during a set results in a termination of the current challenge and an end to the current winning streak.

There are a few restrictions on the team of Pokemon the player can select to use in a Battle Subway challenge:

Pokemon must be distinct species - you cannot use a team containing two Pokemon of the same species. This includes both players partaking in the Multi Line. Also note that different forms of a Pokemon (i.e. Rotom forms) are counted as a single species.

Pokemon must hold unique items - no two Pokemon can hold the same item. The only exception is on the Multi Line, where both you and your partner may give one of their Pokemon the same hold item.

You may not use banned Pokemon - see list below.

Furthermore, it is important to note that all Pokemon will be set to level 50, regardless of their actual level outside of the Subway. This is a change from past generations in which Pokemon above level 50 would be scaled down, but those below would not be scaled up. While this removes the need to train your Subway Pokemon to at least level 50, it also prevents some previously successful strategies from working (i.e. level 2 Endeavor Togekiss).

Banned Pokemon

Neither the NPC nor the player are allowed to enter the following Pokemon:

The Gear Station contains 8 different subway lines, each marked with a distinct color. Each subway line conducts a different style of battle. There are 3 regular lines, 3 super lines, a Wi-Fi line, and a train to Anville Town.

The Regular Lines

The regular lines are the first obstacle the Battle Subway throws at you. On these lines you will face 3 sets of 7 Trainers each. Their Pokemon consist mostly of not fully evolved Pokemon (NFEs) and Pokemon with lower than average base stat totals (BSTs). To complete the regular lines you must first conquer 20 NPC Trainers and then take on Subway Boss Emmet, Ingo, or both, depending on the line challenged. Once defeated, the respective super line is unlocked. The amount of BP awarded for winning streaks for these lines is as follows:

Even after you topple the Subway Boss(es) on a particular regular line you are free to challenge that line as much as you would like. Given the lower difficulty of regular lines this is an effective way for newer players to accumulate BP, allowing them to purchase powerful items that will give them an edge on the super lines.

Single Line (Dark Green)

The Single Line allows the player to select a team of 3 Pokemon to challenge NPC Trainers in a singles battle format. Subway Boss Ingo challenges the player at battle 21. Defeating him marks the end of the Single Line.

Like the Double Line, the Multi Line conducts doubles format battles. However, the Multi Line allows for two players or one player and an NPC partner, either Hilda or Hilbert, to challenge subway Trainers together. As such, the opponents on this line are also tag teams consisting of two NPCs. Each challenger is allowed two Pokemon. All Pokemon submitted must be a unique species. Both the player and their partner, however, may use the same hold item on one of their Pokemon. Keep in mind that while the battle mechanics are fundamentally identical to regular doubles format, you can only control your Pokemon (think back to those in-game battles where you were forced to team up with some scrubby NPC). Also note that if both of your Pokemon faint while your partner still has their two, your partner cannot send their second Pokemon into battle&mdash;they continue to fight alone. One strategy for this line is to knock out both of one opponent's Pokemon, giving you a favorable 2v1 situation.

When teaming up with Hilbert or Hilda, you will be asked what type of team style you want them to use: offensive, defensive, or balanced. This determines which Pokemon they use. Choosing offensive will give the CPU partner an offense-oriented team, defensive a defense one, and balanced a mix of offensive and defensive Pokemon. See the Subway Pokemon Chart (http://members.shaw.ca/teamrocketeli...ubwayData6.txt) to see the actual set of the Pokemon used by Hilbert and Hilda.

Don't let the regular lines lull you into a false sense of confidence; the true test of your abilities lies on the Subway's Super Lines. Super Line opponents trade in their NFEs (well, except for Porygon2) and generally weak Pokemon for fully evolved ones sporting impressive BSTs. Starting with battle 28 you may encounter CPUs using legendary Pokemon. At battle 49 of every Super Line, Subway Bosses Emmet and Ingo return with fancy new teams. Defeating them earns the player a trophy for that particular line that is displayed in their room. Unlike the regular lines, the Super Lines never end. How far can you make it?

Like the Double Line, the Super Double Line allows the player to select 4 Pokemon to challenge NPC opponents in a doubles format. These Trainers may employ double battle strategies (moves that hit both opponents, Water move + Storm Drain, etc). Be prepared to face weather and Trick Room teams. At battle 49, Subway Boss Emmet returns to challenge the player.

The Super Multi Line functions the same as the regular Multi Line. Like the Super Double Line, opposing NPC teams might employ double battle strategies. However, given that the two Trainers may specialize in different types of Pokemon, they could also use opposing strategies (two different types of weather, Trick Room with fast Pokemon, etc). Subway Bosses Ingo and Emmet team up once again at battle 49 to take on the players. If you choose to team up with Hilbert or Hilda, they use the same pool of Pokemon that they do for the regular Multi Line.

The Wi-Fi Line functions quite a bit differently from the other Battle Subway trains. Rather than focusing on obtaining a long winning streak, this line consists of 10 ranks. Each rank (1-10) has 50 different trains that the player can battle on, each train housing 7 CPU opponents. However, these CPU opponents do not use traditional subway Pokemon, but rather teams used by other human players who have conquered that particular train and chose to upload their winning roster. If the player completes a set of 7 Trainers their rank increases. However, losing too many times before beating the 7 Trainers causes their rank to drop. The number of losses it takes to drop a rank are:

Note that the player may only challenge a particular train of a given rank once a day. Since the CPU opponents have teams used by other human players, popular and successful Battle Subway Pokemon such as Garchomp, Suicune, Latios, and Drizzle Politoed, frequently appear.

Train to Anville Town (Brown)

The only way to get to Anville Town in-game is through the Battle Subway. At any time during the game, the player is allowed to visit Anville Town via this train. Anville Town's residents are famous for giving away items; one will even give away items depending on how many sets of seven Battle Subway battles the player has defeated that day.On Abilities and Unused Pokemon

No Pokemon used by NPC Trainers in the Battle Subway possess their Dream World ability, so don't worry about Magic Bounce Espeon or Speed Boost Blaziken ruining your fun. Another note on abilities: though each individual subway Pokemon has a set nature, EVs, item, and moveset, their abilities and gender are not fixed (unless, of course, they have only one ability or are genderless/one gender only). This leads to some interesting happenings, such as an Effect Spore Breloom holding a Toxic Orb. This also means that you must be aware of Pokemon that may have abilities that hinder your team (Water Absorb, Dry Skin, and Storm Drain for rain-based teams, for example) and scout or plan for them accordingly.

Below is a list of fully evolved Pokemon that are not used by Battle Subway trainers. Note that they are not banned, so players can freely enter any of these Pokemon. Also note that this list does not include banned Pokemon, listed earlier.

Although it is difficult to predict precisely what a Battle Subway opponent will do during any given turn, they do follow some general attack patterns. Recognizing these patterns is useful as it helps you anticipate the CPU's moves and plan ahead accordingly. This allows you to outmaneuver opponents that may have an edge on you in regards to the Pokemon they're using. You will gradually catch on to many of these behaviors as you play more and more matches in the Battle Subway. Here's a few CPU trends to be aware of:

General

CPU prefers attacks that will KO one of your Pokemon

An exception to the above, the CPU doesn't use the following moves properly: Gyro Ball, Grass Knot, Low Kick, Return, Frustration. They may not use the move even if it would result in a KO.

CPU doesn't use Sucker Punch properly. They may use it to KO your Pokemon if none of their other attacks can or if it's their only attack. They tend to use it more often if a Pokemon has been Taunted. Otherwise, they tend to be reluctant to use Sucker Punch.

CPU does not recognize Storm Drain or Dry Skin; they will continue to use Water attacks if it would normally be their strongest move against the Pokemon.

CPU does not recognize Flash Fire initially, but will stop using Fire attacks entirely once Flash Fire has been activated. In a double battle, however, the CPU will still target your other, non-Flash Fire Pokemon with Fire moves.

CPU will not continue to use a boosting move if one of the stats being boosted is already maxed.

CPU avoids using Trick against a Pokemon that holds one of the following items: Choice Band, Choice Specs, Choice Scarf, Flame Orb, Toxic Orb, or Black Sludge.

CPU tends to avoid using moves that lower their stats unless it results in a KO or they are holding White Herb.

CPU tends to only use recovery moves when they are below half health. They sometimes, however, seem to "predict" when they will go below half health when their Pokemon is slower than yours.

CPU tends to only use Destiny Bond when they are below half health.

CPU may switch if their Pokemon is locked into a move that does not deal damage (either immune or status move) due to a Choice item.

If the opponent is hit with an attack and they have a Pokemon that is immune to that attack's type, they may switch to the Pokemon that has that immunity. Strangely, they still have a chance to switch even if the Pokemon that performed that attack has already fainted.

CPU considers multi-hit moves based on the power of a single hit (e.g. they see Icicle Spear as a 25 Base Power Ice-type attack).

Double Battle Specific

CPU avoids using multi-target moves in a double battle if it damages their partner. They will, however, use them at the expense of a partner if it can KO one of your Pokemon.

CPU prefers using a multi-target attack in a double battle if their partner is immune to it (e.g. Earthquake with a Flying-type partner), even if it's not particularly effective. If they can KO one of your Pokemon with a different attack, however, they will use that instead.

CPU tends to target their partner in a double battle if they have an attack that can activate their partner's ability (e.g. using Will-O-Wisp to activate Flash Fire or Guts, using Surf to heal a partner with Water Absorb, using an Electric attack to activate Motor Drive, etc).

Even when down to their last Pokemon, the CPU takes the existence of their last partner into account. For example, if an opponent's last two Pokemon are Rhyperior and Gyarados and Gyarados is KOed, the CPU will not hesitate to use Rhyperior's Earthquake. If they had a Tyranitar instead of a Gyarados, however, and their Tyranitar is KOed, they will still avoid using Earthquake.

EVs and IVs of AI Pokemon

Subway Pokemon use all 510 EVs, regardless of the line challenged and the player's current winning streak. These EVs are divided evenly between 2 or 3 stats, as detailed in the list of Battle Subway Pokemon. That is, a Pokemon whose EVs are listed as Atk/Spe will have 255 EVs in Attack and 255 EVs in Speed. Likewise, a Pokemon whose EVs are listed as HP/Def/SpD will have 170 EVs in HP, 170 EVs in Defense, and 170 EVs in Special Defense.

The IVs of Subway Pokemon, however, vary depending on the current set being challenged. In all battles prior to #21, the Pokemon used by subway opponents have highly variable IVs&mdash;it is yet to be discovered what exactly determines their IVs in these battles. More importantly, however, from battle #21 and on, the IVs of Subway Pokemon become all 31s.

Items

Now that you've been met with at least moderate success in the Battle Subway, you likely have accumulated some BP. Below is a list of shiny items available for purchase. These vendors can be found at any Subway Line station next to the PC.

The lady behind the counter (right attendant) offers:

1 BPProteinCalciumIronZincCarbosHP Up16 BP
Power Bracer
Power Belt
Power Lens
Power Band
Power Anklet
Power Weight
Toxic Orb
Flame Orb

Additionally, the following NPCs you meet on specific platforms along any of the Super Lines will give you an item:

- After 21 straight victories the Janitor or Artist will give the player a PP Up.- After 28 straight victories the Lady or Ace Trainer will give the player a Rare Candy.- After 105 straight victories a Trainer will give the player a Lansat Berry.- After 203 straight victories a Trainer will give the player a Starf Berry.

In Black 2 and White 2 both the list of purchasable items and cost of many items have changed. In these games, the items available are as follows:

When EVing your Battle Subway Pokemon, it's important to remember that they will be set to level 50, not 100. Keep these points in mind when planning EV spreads for your Battle Subway teams to maximize your stats at level 50:

8 EVs equal 1 additional stat point at level 50.

If the Pokemon has an even IV in the stat, its EVs for that stat should be divisible by 8.

If the Pokemon has an odd IV in the stat, its EVs for that stat should be divisible by 4, but not 8.

It's a good idea to use an IV/EV calculator to customize your EV spreads and ensure that you aren't losing stat points with an inefficient spread.

A Note on Speed Tiers

Speed is one of the most, if not the most, important stat in competitive Pokemon, and it is no different in the Battle Subway. Here is a link to the Speed tiers in the subway, courtesy of fluffyflyingpig. This is a fantastic reference and is extremely helpful in letting you plan how many Speed EVs to put into your subway Pokemon.

Below are a few general team styles that many people have had success with in the Battle Subway.

Cripple and Set Up

An effective singles strategy, Cripple and Set Up focuses on hindering the opponent's lead Pokemon so that one of your Pokemon can set up without fear and sweep. This strategy is particularly successful in singles because it creates an environment where your team is very close to being hax-proof. One downside to this playstyle is the length of time each battle takes&mdash;spending time crippling the opponent's lead, setting up, and then sweeping is considerably longer than just plowing through an opponent's team. If long battles bore you, this is not the strategy for you. Cripple and Set Up is reserved almost exclusively for singles, as crippling two opponents in doubles is considerably more difficult.

Teams that employ this strategy use 1-2 cripplers with the remaining slot(s) dedicated to setup sweepers. The purpose of the crippler Pokemon is to hinder the opponent's lead by reducing its Attack/Special Attack, Accuracy, and Speed in addition to locking it into one move. Cripplers commonly carry moves such as Flash, Charm, Thunder Wave, Memento, and Trick + Choice Scarf to accomplish this. Common crippling Pokemon include Whimsicott, Latias, Mesprit, Uxie, Shuckle, and Stoutland. Here's a sample crippling set for Mesprit, used by Jumpman16:

The standard setup sweeper carries Substitute, a setup move, a main STAB attack, and a coverage or recovery move. Substitute is a staple as it blocks status and protects your Pokemon from critical hits should the opponent manage to hit despite its reduced accuracy.

The goal of the setup sweeper is simply to set up all over the opponent's crippled lead and proceed to sweep the rest of their team. Dragonite is a very popular setup sweeper, but other options such as Volcarona and Registeel work too. Here's a sample Dragonite setup sweeper set:

Black 2 and White 2 have brought a host of new Dream World abilities and moves to play with in the subway. The addition of Truant Durant has provided an extremely effective option for the Cripple and Set Up strategy. The typical crippler Durant set is as follows:
Durant @ Choice Scarf
Truant
Jolly Nature
EVs: 252 HP / 16 SpD / 240 Spe
- Entrainment
- X-Scissor
- Iron Head
- Protect / Superpower / Rock Slide

Unlike other Pokemon who cripple the opposing lead Pokemon, Durant can do so in a single turn with Entrainment. The only change to setup sweepers is that they need to run Protect. The strategy is simple: use Entrainment on the opponent's lead, switch to your sweeper as they loaf, and then Protect when they attack/set up when they loaf. This crippling strategy is much more successful than other styles because it is incredibly consistent. However, this isn't to say there aren't flaws&mdash;the biggest threats to this strategy are leads that suicide or switch out. Moves such as Explosion, Memento, Volt Switch, and U-turn are problematic, especially if the opponent manages to KO your Durant before you can use Entrainment again.

Like other Cripple and Set Up strategies, be prepared for lengthy battles. Perhaps even more so if you chose to use Durant since you will spend your turns alternating between Protect and your setup move on your sweeper.

Weather

The main goal of weather based teams is, of course, to control the weather that gives your Pokemon an advantage. Weather teams are effective in the Battle Subway because they do not experience the same degree of "weather wars" that occurs in standard OU battles&mdash;the opponents do not use Pokemon with Dream World abilities, so only Tyranitar, Hippowdon, Abomasnow, and manual weather setters can disrupt your desired weather. CPU opponents also won't switch out their weather inducer so they can re-activate their weather again as human opponents often do. As such, playing under weather gives you a considerable advantage over your CPU opponents.

However, knowing how to deal with opposing weather changers is key to a successful subway weather based team.
Trick Room

Like weather based strategies, Trick Room (TR) teams succeed by controlling a field effect that gives their Pokemon the advantage. Unlike weather teams, however, TR teams have little to no risk in getting their field effect removed by an opponent's move. On the other hand, they face the difficulty of keeping Trick Room active since it lasts only 5 turns. As such, TR is a much more successful strategy in doubles than singles since double battles tend to last fewer turns and two Pokemon can immediately benefit from it rather than just one.

A key component to TR based teams is the Pokemon that initially sets up TR. Given the move's -7 priority, the TR setter is very susceptible to status, flinching, Taunt, or simply being KOed by powerful attacks. The first three dangers are unavoidable unless you use very specific tools to get around them (e.g. Lum Berry, Inner Focus, Mental Herb, etc). The last, getting KOed in the first turn of battle, is the most important danger to avoid. Solid TR setters tend to be bulky, have good defensive typing, and benefit from TR themselves. The following Bronzong set is a good Pokemon to get TR going:

Occa Berry makes Bronzong have essentially no weaknesses for the first turn, while Leftovers grants longer-term recovery. While TR and Gyro Ball are staples, the last two slots are even more variable than just the options listed here. This is a very defensive Bronzong set that reliably sets up TR, can deal decent damage with Gyro Ball, potentially flinches the opponent with Rock Slide, and supports your team; the EV spread can be tweaked if a more offensive Bronzong is desired.

TR based teams of course need Pokemon that benefit from TR! Pokemon with naturally low Speed and high attacking stats such as Snorlax and Reuniclus make excellent candidates for TR teams. Effective TR Pokemon are not limited to slow behemoths, though&mdash;Pokemon with middling speed can be made into great TR abusers by equipping a Macho Brace or Power item, halving their Speed.

When acquiring and EV training TR Pokemon, it's important to keep in mind that they prefer a Speed reducing nature, a 0 IV in Speed, and no Speed EVs. Check the Battle Subway Speed tiers [link] to see which Pokemon will "outspeed" you in TR.
Tailwind

The flip side to TR teams, Tailwind (TW) teams use the move Tailwind to double their team's Speed for four turns. Like TR, Tailwind is more viable in doubles than singles given its limited duration. Also like their TR counterparts, the biggest challenge TW teams face is setting up and maintaining their beneficial field effect. However, unlike Trick Room, Tailwind is a normal priority move. Ideally, a TW setter has high Speed, the Prankster ability, or significant bulk. Prankster Tailwind users are excellent because their ability gives Tailwind +1 priority, almost guaranteeing that they can get the wind blowing on the first turn. Murkrow, Cottonee, Whimsicott, and Tornadus are the four Pokemon that have Prankster and learn Tailwind. Here's a sample TW setter set for Whimsicott:

Depending on the staying power of your initial TW setter, it's not a bad idea to have a second Tailwind user as backup. This doesn't need to be a dedicated TW setter like the above Whimsicott, but could be an offensive TW sweeper that also carries TW in one of its moveslots.

Ideally, a TW based team wants to smash the opposition within four turns. As such, Pokemon with high attacking stats that may suffer from low to middling Speed stats are excellent options. Pokemon with strong multi-target attacks are also fantastic TW abusers. Setup Pokemon don't mesh well with a TW based style because turns spent setting up are turns of doubled Speed lost. If you use any setup Pokemon, your best bet is to use a Pokemon that can set up a Swords Dance or Nasty Plot on the first turn while you set up Tailwind with its partner.

Other Styles

Successful subway teams are certainly not limited to the strategies outlined above. Not basing a team around a particular concept and instead selecting 3 or 4 Pokemon that simply work well together is very viable. The best way to determine how well a team performs is to actually test it in the Battle Subway; theorymon is great and all, but actual testing is the best evaluator. This is particularly true for the Battle Subway&mdash;it's very easy to overlook some of your team's weakness simply given the wide variety of Pokemon the subway throws at you. Once you build up a nice bank of subway Pokemon you can start to mix and match them, experimenting with different combinations to see what works best for you. Team building is half the battle in the subway, so have fun crafting teams that you enjoy playing with!

Using Subway Pokemon/Trainer Charts

Knowing what moveset the opposing Pokemon possesses is very helpful in predicting what their next attack will be. Luckily, some of Smogon's Pokemaniacs have compiled a list of all the Pokemon in the Battle Subway and by which Trainers they are used. Referencing these charts is a great way to familiarize yourself with the Pokemon you'll face in the subway and to help you get out of tough battle situations.

List of Battle Subway Pokemon: http://members.shaw.ca/teamrocketelite/BattleSubwayData6.txtList of Trainers and their Pokemon: http://members.shaw.ca/teamrocketelite/BattleSubwayTrainers.txt
These charts may look intimidating at first, but they're actually fairly easy to use. The first link above contains a numbered list of all subway Pokemon including their nature, hold item, moveset, and EV spread. Scrolling down to the Super Subway Trainers section (given the low difficulty of the regular lines, determining their Pokemon's sets is really not necessary) in the second link reveals a compilation of Trainer names followed by a list of numbers. These numbers correspond to the numbered Pokemon in the first link. By searching through these lists you can easily find which Pokemon the opponent is using against you. Sometimes, however, you cannot determine what set the opponent is running without additional information&mdash;some Trainers use multiple different sets of the same Pokemon. For example, if your opponent uses any of the four Gyarados in the subway you cannot tell which one you're facing until it attacks you. Although it's unfortunate when you cannot determine the exact set of the opposing Pokemon from the first turn, there's typically enough variation in a Pokemon's movesets that you can narrow it down to two options from just a single attack. Noting the Pokemon's relative Speed, whether it went before or after a Pokemon with a known Speed stat, can also help you eliminate possible choices.

It may look tiresome to check what sets the opponent is running, but keep in mind that you don't need to do this for every single Pokemon you face&mdash;if you're using a rain team, say, it's really not that important what set an opponent's Golem has because you're just going to steamroll it anyway. These resources are most helpful for those Pokemon that sometimes carry a specific move that is a problem for your team or that run different EV spreads that would affect your battle strategy. Is there a lot of people that fit this description? Yes, but eventually you'll become familiar enough with subway Pokemon that you won't need to check these lists as often.

Another suggestion that may be useful: if you use a Pokemon that has a glaring 4x weakness (Gyarados, Scizor, and Toxicroak come to mind), it's helpful to make a list of Pokemon that potentially carry a non-STAB coverage move that could exploit this weakness. That is, you would of course be wary of an Alakazam or any other Psychic-type one-shotting your Toxicroak, but you might get caught off guard by a Ninetales's Extrasensory or an Electivire's Psychic achieving the same result. Keeping a list of these Pokemon that could net surprise OHKOs can help you be prepared to deal with these threats. Of course, this works best for Pokemon with one prominent weakness that you want to avoid; if you try and make a list of Pokemon that could hit your Abomasnow with a super effective move, your list will probably contain over half the subway Pokemon!

Top Threats
Although each individual Battle Subway team will struggle with different Pokemon, there are a few noteworthy threats that seem to trouble the majority of players.

Hail Teams (Ice Workers)
Between Snow Cloak and freezes, hail teams are notorious for their rage-inducing hax. Couple that with powerful, multi-targeting, 100% accuracy Blizzards and a fantastic offensive typing and you've got one potent opponent. Run teams vulnerable to Ice-type attacks at your own peril, for eventually these guys will just steamroll you. Even packing multiple Ice resists isn't always a foolproof plan&mdash;it's infuriating when you can't hit a Snow Cloak Froslass or your supposed hail counters are frozen for six turns straight. Ice may be an awful defensive typing, but don't underestimate these guys.

Trick Room

Trick Room turns a speedy Pokemon's asset into a liability. An opponent can quickly turn a match around if they set up Trick Room and have Pokemon that are slower than yours under normal battle conditions. As such, Trick Room users are particularly dangerous for teams that have Speed-boosting Pokemon whether via a setup move or an ability. If your Cloyster Shell Smashes or if you have your Swift Swim Kingdra out in the rain when the opponent sets up Trick Room, your Pokemon just became the slowest on the field regardless of the opponent's team.
Luckily, Harlequins Aramis and Athos are the only two subway opponents that specialize in Trick Room. In addition to TR setters, these two Trainers use very slow Pokemon that often have Speed-reducing natures and hold an Iron Ball. However, for all other subway opponents that may use a TR setting Pokemon, while the Pokemon that set up TR benefit from it themselves, the rest of the opponent's team may not be suited for it. Moreover, subway Pokemon aren't tailored for Trick Room play; that is, they don't always have Speed-reducing natures and won't have a 0 Speed IV. However, the subway Pokemon that have Trick Room are used by a wide variety of Trainers so it is much more likely that you'll come across one.

Trick Room isn't a threat you can really, or should really, prepare for, though (unless you are using a TR team yourself!). Well-built teams can get around most Trick Room users with careful playing, even if they manage to successfully set up. If you think you might be facing a Pokemon that knows Trick Room, it's a good idea to KO or disable it. Remember that Trick Room has -7 priority, so even the slowest of Pokemon will act before it's used.

Legendary Pokemon

It should be pretty obvious that CPUs packing legendary Pokemon tend to be a bit tougher than your average subway opponent. While you won't find yourself up against a Mewtwo or Kyogre, the Lati twins, the Genies, and the Musketeers, among others, pose significant threats. It's not necessary to build a team focused on dealing with Latios, say, but you should keep these powerhouses in mind when putting together your subway Pokemon.

OHKO moves are usually pretty terrible, but play enough battles in the Battle Subway and eventually your opponent will get lucky and hit. Thankfully, there's only a small pool of OHKO move-toting Subway Pokemon. Here are the three biggest culprits:

As if it wasn't bad enough that Game Freak made a defensive, RestTalk Walrein with OHKO moves as its only attacks, they decided to give it Lax Incense. If you don't take out this guy quickly, you'd best start praying to the RNG gods.

Quick Claw + Fissure can mess you up before you have a chance to act. Donphan's Sturdy ability gives it a second opportunity to OHKO one of your team members.

Even though there's only a handful of subway Pokemon that carry OHKO moves, it's not a bad idea to be aware of them so you aren't caught completely by surprise. Here's a compilation of all the subway Pokemon that have an OHKO move. Italicized Pokemon are ones you'll face only on the regular lines.

Also look out for Roughnecks Ganymed and Proteus&mdash;all of their possible Pokemon, except one, carry OHKO moves.

A Comment on Hax

Hax: it happens. Despite the Battle Subway's acronym, it contains far fewer hax-laden Pokemon (BrightPowder and Quick Claw holders, Double Team/Minimize spammers) than its predecessors. However, hax is a fundamental element of Pokemon and the Battle Subway is no exception. The most successful subway teams aim to minimize their vulnerability to hax. They following strategies are effective ways of making your team at least somewhat hax-proof:

Substitute - in addition to blocking status and allowing you to fire off Focus Punches, Substitute has the invaluable role of preventing critical hits from ruining your day. Substitute is a staple on defensive setup Pokemon, as a super effective critical hit could render all your setup worthless. It is less effective in doubles than singles since the opponent can double target your Pokemon, breaking its Substitute and then smacking it while its unprotected.

100% Accurate Moves - Flamethrower > Fire Blast, Surf > Hydro Pump, etc. Using a move with less than 100% accuracy is a significant risk. Sure, a Hydro Pump miss during a PO battle may cost you the match once every so often, but just a single miss at the wrong time in the Subway could spell an end to your streak. That's not to say that a successful team must only use 100% accurate moves&mdash;Rock Slide and High Jump Kick are used often on high-streak teams. Wide Lens is also a viable item to alleviate accuracy hax, bumping up 90% accurate moves to 99%.

Don't rely on hax-based strategies - it's not the best idea to build a subway team around something like Sand Veil + BrightPowder Garchomp abusing Substitute, a slow Pokemon equipped with Quick Claw, etc. Eventually, the CPU will hit a lucky streak and break through your team. That isn't to say that BrightPowder, Quick Claw, or evasion raising abilities are not viable; you just shouldn't rely on them extensively. The one team strategy that focuses on hax is Cripple and Sweep (see above).

You will undoubtedly be faced with very trying hax during your adventures in the Battle Subway - it sucks when you miss that Snow Cloak Froslass three times in a row or that Rock Slide flinches both your Pokemon. Don't get discouraged though! If you find yourself frustrated, take a break and try again later. The Battle Subway will always be ready for a new challenge.

Changes in Black 2 and White 2

Other than the changes in available items and some item costs (detailed above), the Battle Subway has remained pretty much unchanged in Black 2 and White 2. The only change is the removal of Sky Drop from subway Pokemon movesets, since it causes a glitch when used in conjunction with Gravity.

Conclusion

It's no doubt that participating in the Battle Subway takes time, effort, and experience. So get out there! Check out what others have done to get their name on the records list. Compare EV spreads and put your team to the test. The Battle Subway is all about experimenting with different teams, so don't get discouraged if your team is not as successful as you hoped. And most of all, have fun in the subway!
Resources/Important Links

Battle Subway Records Thread (http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102593) - started and maintained by Peterko
Got an impressive streak? Want input about your subway team? Then this thread is for you! This is a fantastic resource for discussion with fellow Battle Subway enthusiasts.

Credit for making the lists of subway Pokemon and subway Trainers goes to Team Rocket Elite. Credit for compiling the subway Speed Tiers goes to fluffyflyingpig. Credit for starting and updating the Battle Subway Records Thread goes to Peterko. Thanks to Level 51 for doing some great research on the IVs of subway Pokemon.

Knowing ZoroarkThe NPC’s love to use Zoroark and to utilize its Illusion ability. Although Zoroark is rarely a top threat for most teams, it can through the player off. 9 times out of 10 a Zoroark has a focus sash leads with Nasty Plot. Zoroark usually attacks with Night Slash or Dark Pulse depending on which one. Knowing if the Illusioned Pokemon can learn Nasty Plot on its own reveal Zoroark’s identity early. TNasty Plot users is a rather short list. Damaging Zoroark in anyway also reveals his Identity and since that is the objective of the Subway, Zoroark should not remain masked for long.

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I'm not sure if a section on Zoroark needs to be included. I mean, yeah, Counter-Sash can be annoying but as you guys say it is rarely a top threat. Counter-Sash is probably the most threatening set but that doesn't appear very often once you get a streak going (Zoroark 4 has Counter but holds a Focus Band). Zoroark certainly isn't as dangerous as something like Hail or Trick Room and most of the time all it does is die while revealing what the opponent's last pokemon is (assuming it doesn't come out last, which it sometimes does).

Not saying that it should be taken for granted, and it doesn't really hurt the guide to have a Zoroark section, but Zoroark rarely ends streaks and there are many more dangerous things that you could face so it seems odd that you would dedicate a section to it.

Also, you guys said "9 times out of 10 a Zoroark has a focus sash leads with Nasty Plot." I apologise if I'm interpreting this wrong because the formatting isn't complete but it sounds like you're saying that Focus-Sash Zoroark leads with Nasty Plot most of the time. If that's the case then it's not true because none of the Zoroark in the subway have both Focus Sash and Nasty Plot.

I'm not sure if a section on Zoroark needs to be included. I mean, yeah, Counter-Sash can be annoying but as you guys say it is rarely a top threat. Counter-Sash is probably the most threatening set but that doesn't appear very often once you get a streak going (Zoroark 4 has Counter but holds a Focus Band). Zoroark certainly isn't as dangerous as something like Hail or Trick Room and most of the time all it does is die while revealing what the opponent's last pokemon is (assuming it doesn't come out last, which it sometimes does).

Not saying that it should be taken for granted, and it doesn't really hurt the guide to have a Zoroark section, but Zoroark rarely ends streaks and there are many more dangerous things that you could face so it seems odd that you would dedicate a section to it.

Also, you guys said "9 times out of 10 a Zoroark has a focus sash leads with Nasty Plot." I apologise if I'm interpreting this wrong because the formatting isn't complete but it sounds like you're saying that Focus-Sash Zoroark leads with Nasty Plot most of the time. If that's the case then it's not true because none of the Zoroark in the subway have both Focus Sash and Nasty Plot.

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I see what you mean. I guess we can just give him a 1 sentence mention rather than a detailed paragraph. And of the large error I just didn't check what I was saying over again.

I suppose I can add some info on AI Tendencies. This is not a conclusive list of things, as the CPU does often do moves that are quite incomprehensible.

Off the top of my head, in no particular order:
-The CPU will go for the attack if they have an attack that can KO one of your Pokemon.
*Exceptions to the rule, The CPU does not really use the following moves properly: Gyro Ball, Grass Knot, Low Kick, Return, Frustration. As such they sometimes won't use the move even if it would be a KO.

-The CPU cannot see the Storm Drain, or Dry Skin abilities, and will continue to use Water Attacks if it would normally be their strongest move against the Pokemon

-The CPU also does not see the Flash Fire abilitiy initially, but they activate Flash Fire, they will stop using Fire attacks all together

-The opponent will not continue to use a power up move if one of the stats that it boosts is already maxed

-When using Trick, the CPU will not use it if your Pokemon holds a Choice Item, or is holding a Flame Orb / Toxic Orb / Black Sludge. In a Double Battle, they will always avoid using Trick against Pokemon who hold these items

-They will usually not use recovery moves unless below half health.

-They won't use Destiny Bond unless they are below half health

-The CPU has a tendency to avoid using moves that lower their stats, unless its a KO or they are holding a White Herb. (not absolutely certain on this one)

-When using multi-target moves in a double battle, the CPU will avoid using one if they will damage their ally with it.
*However, unlike in 4th gen, they will use them at the expense of their ally if they can KO one of your Pokemon

-When using multi-target moves in a double battle, the CPU will show preference to using the attack if it hits all, but their ally is immune, even if it isn't particularly a good idea (damn you Hilbert and spamming Earthquake instead of using better attacks)
*The exceptiong is if they can KO one of your Pokemon with their other attacks

-If locked into a move that does not deal damage (either immune, or non-damaging attack) due to choice item, the opponent may switch.

-If a Pokemon cannot KO either of your Pokemon (or can KO both of them), their targetting is random for who they decide to attack

-If the opponent was hit with an attack, and they have a Pokemon that is immune to that Attack Type, the opponent may switch out the Pokemon hit with the attack for one that is immune. Strangely enough, they will still have a chance of switching even if the Pokemon that performed the attack has already fainted

-The CPU reads multi-hit moves based on the power of one hit. So they will consider Icicle Spear as a 25 power attack (not certain on this one)

-The opponent doesn't really use Sucker Punch properly. They may use it to KO if none of their other attacks can, or if its their only attack. They will use it more often if a Pokemon has been taunted. Otherwise, they tend to be reluctant to use Sucker Punch

-In double battles, the CPU will have a tendency to target their ally if they have an attack that can activate their ally's ability. (eg. using Will-o-Wisp to activate Flash Fire, or Guts. Using Surf to heal from Water Absorb, using an Electric Attack to activate Motor Drive, etc.)

To add to that list, I've noticed that the AI will have one of their pokemon attack their partner if that partner has an ability that benefits from being hit by that move. For example, if a Ninetales is paired with a Flash Fire Chandelure, the Ninetales will likely use a fire move on Chandelure to give it the Flash Fire boost.

This can lead to some silly situations, such as this one time where I faced an Ampharos and an Electivire. The Electivire used Protect, and the Ampharos wasted its turn by trying to Thunderpunch Electivire to activate Motor Drive!

Got some time to start working on this again. Thanks for the great points on AI tendancies R Inanimate and atsync, added them to the main post.

There was one that I wasn't completely sure on though:

CPU randomly targets one of your Pokemon if they cannot KO either of them or can KO both of them

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I was under the impression that the CPU targeted whichever Pokemon they could do the most damage to and, for the most part, I've tended to see that from my own BS experience. I have witnessed times when the CPU seemed to target randomly though, like when they target one of my Pokemon with a move that could have hit the other super effectively (and not to KO that particular Pokemon). I only see this sometimes though.

If anyone has any input on this one or any of the other bullet points about AI tendancies (particularly the ones marked with "check this"), that would be fantastic.

Also a formatting question: I can't figure out a way to make a nice table-like format for lists. I kinda did it for the list of Pokemon not used by Subway opponents, but its a goofy and clunky way to do it and I'm sure there's an easier way. When I just add extra spaces to make three columns they are deleted upon saving the post. Is there a good way to make a multi-column list, or should I just put it in an HTML table?

C&C Leader

Also a formatting question: I can't figure out a way to make a nice table-like format for lists. I kinda did it for the list of Pokemon not used by Subway opponents, but its a goofy and clunky way to do it and I'm sure there's an easier way. When I just add extra spaces to make three columns they are deleted upon saving the post. Is there a good way to make a multi-column list, or should I just put it in an HTML table?

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Don't worry about this, the HTMLer will figure out the best way to set up the table, you worry about putting in the information you want in your article and get it wrote up! :)

I was under the impression that the CPU targeted whichever Pokemon they could do the most damage to and, for the most part, I've tended to see that from my own BS experience. I have witnessed times when the CPU seemed to target randomly though, like when they target one of my Pokemon with a move that could have hit the other super effectively (and not to KO that particular Pokemon). I only see this sometimes though.

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You are probably correct. If a Pokemon can do a significant amount more damage to "A" as opposed to "B", it will target "A", though every so often they do like to throw something unexpected. But, when they are using an attack will not KO and does roughly the same to either Pokemon, it becomes quite random.

Also, another CPU AI tendency:

Even though they are down to one Pokemon left in a Double Battle, they still take into account the existance of their last partner.

For example, if the CPU's last two Pokemon are Rhyperior and Gyarados, and Gyarados is KO'd, the Rhyperior will have no issues with using Earthquake on your Pokemon. However, if it was a Tyranitar and a Rhyperior, and Tyranitar is KO'd, the Rhyperior avoid using Earthquake.

Wi-Fi Commissioner

Cradily and I finally got back to working on this and we're done with our first draft so we're ready for input. In addition to general comments, we have a couple of specific things:

- What's the deal with the IVs and EVs of the CPUs' Pokemon? I vaguely remember something about their IVs being 15/16 up until battle 49 on the super lines where they change to all 31s. Similarly, they don't use all 510 EVs prior to battle 49. I can't find the source where I supposedly read this so I could have made this up. If anyone knows anything about this that would be fantastic.

- Any comments on the list of AI tendencies would be great, or if you've noticed more trends that haven't been listed.

- Is anyone aware of changes in BW2? Bulbapedia tells me that the purchasable TMs and BP cost of some items have changed, but I haven't heard anything else.

- Any information on the Wireless Line would be awesome. My internet is incompatible with my DS so I unfortunately can't explore the line for myself.

After each battle of every set, the player’s party is fulled healed and they are given the option to continue, rest, or quit. Continue triggers the next battle in the series. Rest saves and exits the game while preserving the player’s current winning streak - they must, however, resume their Battle Subway challenge the next time they turn on the game. Quit exits the challenge, causing the player to lose their winning streak.

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Don't forget that there is a forth option, Record, that saves the last battle you had.

Luckily, there are no Subway opponents that specialize in Trick Room. The Pokemon that set up Trick Room benefit from it themselves, but the rest of the opponent's team may not be suited for it. Moreover, Subway Pokemon aren't tailored for Trick Room play; that is, they don't always have speed reducing natures and won't have a 0 speed IV. However, the Subway Pokemon that have Trick Room are used by a wide variety of trainers so it is much more likely that you'll come across one.

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Actually, Harlequin Aramis and Harlequin Athos are trainers that I would say specialize in Trick Room. They only use Trick Room setters paired with very slow pokemon (some of which hold Iron Ball). I think those are the only ones though.

OHKO moves are usually pretty terrible, but play enough battles in the Subway and eventually your opponent will get lucky and hit. Thankfully there's only a small pool of OHKO move totting Subway Pokemon. Here are the three biggest culprits:

As if it wasn't bad enough that Gamefreak made a defensive, RestTalking Walrein with OHKO moves as its only attacks, they decided to give it Lax Incense. If you don't take out this guy quickly you'd best start praying to the RNG gods.

If an Articuno uses Mind Reader on you, it's this guy. Your best bet would be to KO it or switch out if you don't want to lose one of your Pokemon.

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I know this is kind of subjective, but I would not consider Articuno one of the top 3 worst OHKO users. Mind Reader + Sheer Cold is deadly in theory but it almost never uses the moves in the right order and it often isn't any more threatening than many of the other OHKO users (I'm honestly more scared of Ice Beam freezing me).

If you want to list an alternative, I would go with Donphan 4. Quick Claw Fissure is horrible to face up against and to top it off it has Sturdy to give it more than 1 chance to screw you over.

Good catch on the record option and TR specialists, atsync. I also added a sentence about the Vs. Recorder since questions about how to view your subway streak pop up in the subway records thread every so often (and I had to look this up the first time too!).

Moderator

1. Add Entrainment Durant to the cripple and set up section. It's proven itself extremely effective both for teams built for a quick set up and sweep and those built for a more foolproof one. Note that at present, it requires trading with someone who has access to Japanese BW 2.

2. Maybe add a few sentences on the BP award progression, so people just looking to acquire BP, and not necessarily put up a long streak, know how long it will take. Note that in terms of number of rounds of fighting vs. BP received, the most efficient approach is to fight the first 49 battles in super singles over and over again. 7 rounds of 7, a total of 75 BP (thanks to the Subway Boss victory bonus), so an average of 10 BP 5/7 per round of 7. Additional rounds only get you 10 each, so your rate declines slightly beyond battle 49. Perhaps also note the trade off that some teams make between consistency and time to fight a round. A good stuff offensive team might be less consistent then a top-tier cripple and sweep team, but it will certainly play faster.

3. Add something like "fast coverage pokes" to the threats section. There are a ton of very fast opposing pokes this generation. For many "good stuff" offensive teams, the deadliest threats are opposing pokemon that can outspeed your team and hit its weaknesses. King's Rock Starmie with Thundebolt/Ice Beam/Surf/Psychic is of particular note, but Choice Scarf and Focus Sash Garchomp, the Lati-Twins, and even things like Gengar and Infernape can cause a ton of problems for many teams. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Starmie has ended more streaks than any other poke, so it in particular should be mentioned.

4. Maybe give a quick list of "tried and true" pokemon that are a good starting place for those starting to build subway teams (and also are capable of sweeping quickly, an important point for people wishing to quickly acquire BP). I'd recommend Dragonite, Garchomp, Suicune, Gengar, Scizor, Cloyster, and Volcarona. Even with mediocre IVs and pretty hastily thrown together teams, these pokes can build decent streaks and at the least rack up good BP. I avoid including cripplers here since they're usually more complicated for someone just starting out in the Subway, and lead to longer battles. For things that aren't on super long streak teams but are still good starting places, Darmanitan is also good as it hits VERY hard and is extremely easily acquired, and Starmie does wonderfully with its great speed, wonderful coverage, and sufficient bulk to survive one attack from most anything lacking STAB super effective coverage.

Moderator

Oh, one small add too. In the section discussing legendary pokemon as threats, add that what makes the all-legendary trainers dangerous isn't just that their pokemon tend to have high stats, but that these trainers use all 4 of each type of legendary, making you have to spend at least a turn figuring out what specific set you are facing. Since for some subway pokes, their 4 sets are of vastly differing danger to individual pokemon on your team, uncertainty as to which specific set you are facing can be a very big issue. This is also a concern when you are facing a biker, as they use pokemon from "good" species and can run any of the four possible sets for those pokes.

Cradily and I finally got back to working on this and we're done with our first draft so we're ready for input. In addition to general comments, we have a couple of specific things:

- What's the deal with the IVs and EVs of the CPUs' Pokemon? I vaguely remember something about their IVs being 15/16 up until battle 49 on the super lines where they change to all 31s. Similarly, they don't use all 510 EVs prior to battle 49. I can't find the source where I supposedly read this so I could have made this up. If anyone knows anything about this that would be fantastic.

- Any comments on the list of AI tendencies would be great, or if you've noticed more trends that haven't been listed.

- Is anyone aware of changes in BW2? Bulbapedia tells me that the purchasable TMs and BP cost of some items have changed, but I haven't heard anything else.

- Any information on the Wireless Line would be awesome. My internet is incompatible with my DS so I unfortunately can't explore the line for myself.

Any feedback is welcome! Thanks!

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1. They use all 510 EVs always. Even in the Normal Line. The EVs are evenly divided into usually 2 or 3 stats. The IVs of the Pokemon from Battle 28 onward are guaranteed to always be IV 31 in the Battle Subway.
I never really bothered to figure out the IVs of the trainers before that, but I think it goes IV15 -> IV20 -> IV25 for Pokemon held by trainers running 1st, 2nd and 3rd set Pokemon, respectively.

2. I recently noticed that while they will stop targetting the Pokemon they activated Flash Fire on with Fire attacks, this does not stop them from attempting Fire attacks on your partner in a Double Battle.

3. I believe that there is no change between BW and BW2 Battle Subway Pokemon. Though they may have removed all instances of Sky Drop in BW2. I can't really confirm until the game is released over here.

4. Do you mean the Wi-Fi Train? The Wi-Fi Train consists of 10 Ranks. Each rank has 50 different Trains you can battle on. Each Train has 7 Trainers, consisting of teams from Trainers that have completed the Train, and chose to upload the team that they used. You may only challenge a particular Train of a given Rank once a day. For every completed set of 7 Trainers, your Rank increases. If you lose too many times before beating a set of 7, your rank will drop. The number of losses it takes to drop a rank are as follows:

If the Pokemon has an even IV in the stat, its EVs for that stat should be divisible by 8

If the Pokemon has an odd IV in the stat, its EVs for that stat should be divisible by 4, but not 8

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Pokemon are set to level 50 in the Subway rather than 100. Therefore, an IV of 31 yields 15.5 stat points instead of 31, and 252 EVs yields 31.5 stat points instead of 63. Since everything is floored in Pokemon having an IV of 31 will actually only give 15 stat points at level 50. By putting an odd number of EVs towards a stat with an odd IV (and likewise for evens) you don't waste stat points. In other words, having bonus stat points (IV + EVs) that end in .5 are wasteful as they will just get floored anyway. Hope that makes sense.

Also, I plan on updating the article more this weekend. More suggestions are always welcome!